News 29 May 2021

Cianciarulo and Lawrence top opening Pro Motocross qualifying

The 2021 outdoor season is underway at Fox Raceway.

Image: Octopi Media.

The 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season is officially underway at Fox Raceway, with Adam Cianciarulo topping the 450 qualifying sessions and Jett Lawrence atop the 250 timesheets.

After the opening 450 qualifying sessions were done and dusted, it was Adam Cianciarulo taking the top spot in his return from a collarbone injury.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider is recovered and poised to challenge for the championship again this season.

His fast lap of 2:18.793 set be bar ahead of Marvin Musquin (Red Bull KTM) and Ken Roczen (Team Honda HRC) who rounded out the top three. Roczen making his return to motocross after missing last year, while Musquin looks to again challenge for the championship as he did last season.

Rookie Dylan Ferrandis (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) grabbed fourth place in his debut in the 450MX class, the Frenchman looking to continue his solid freshman year on the YZF450.

Italian MXGP rider Alessandro Lupino (KTM) took fifth spot in his Pro Motocross debut, besting the likes of Jason Anderson who put his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna inside the top 10, finishing the session in sixth.

Seventh place went to Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) who looks to continue his momentum from last season’s win in the final round, while Christian Craig (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) put himself in eighth position in the opening qualifying as he sets out for a full season in the 450MX class.

Following a successful Supercross campaign, Aaron Plessinger (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) grabbed ninth, as the final spot inside the top 10 went to reigning Supercross champion Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM).

As the checkered flag waved on the final 250MX qualifying practice it was Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence setting the bar on the timesheets with a fast lap of 2:20.389s. Lawrence looking solid as he begins to shift his mindset from learning to competing for championships this time around.

Behind him was Austin Forkner (Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) who set his best lap late in the second session. Forkner making his return to Pro Motocross fully healthy for the first time since 2018.

250SX West champion Justin Cooper (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) finished the session in third, as he sets out after his first 250MX championship.

Huner Lawrence brought his Team Honda HRC CRF250 home in fourth place, the first rider in the 1m21s range. Lawrence is coming off a solid finish in the Supercross championship and is ready to put up a fight for the crown.

Rounding out the top five was Jeremy Martin in his return to action following injury in Supercross, and he was closely followed by rookie Seth Hammaker finished his first morning of qualifying in Pro Motocross in sixth ahead of teammate Jo Shimoda in seventh.

Nate Thrasher (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) took eighth, continuing his momentum from the 2021 Supercross season as the final two spots inside the top 10 went to Pierce Brown (TLD Red Bull GasGas) and RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna).

Deeper in the pack 250SX East champion Colt Nichols (Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha) was 14th and Cameron McAdoo (Mosnter Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki) was 18th.

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